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Phone 718-834-9350 • www.BrooklynPapers.com • © 2005 Brooklyn Paper Publications • 16 pages •Vol. 28, No. 14 BRZ • Saturday, April 2, 2005 • FREE WATERLOGGED Gentile: DOT blocking planned Water Taxi at 69th Street Pier By Jotham Sederstrom Six months after New York Water Taxi of city law because the allocation was ap- The Brooklyn Papers announced that it would extend its service to proved as part of Mayor Michael Apromised water ferry connection in the 69th Street Pier, in part to reverse flag- Bloomberg’s signed budget. ging ridership, Gentile and Councilman “What has happened is the tyranny of this Bay Ridge, which would be the first David Yassky, chairman of the waterfronts bureaucracy has decided that they do not such service in the neighborhood in committee, say that $125,000 allocated for want to spend the money on a ferry subsidy, eight years, has been caught in a the project is being waylaid by the city De- even though it became law when the mayor bureaucratic net and may have to be partment of Transportation. signed off on it in his budget,” said Gentile. fished out in city courts, Councilman The decision to hold back the operating “What authority does the DOT, as an ad- Vincent Gentile charged this week. subsidy, said Gentile, is a potential violation ministrative agency, have to supercede the council and the will of the mayor?” Should the DOT continue to withhold funding, as agency officials have indicated, Gentile said that he would evaluate what le- gal avenues could be pursued. “It’s become a process issue because they’re refusing to carry out a valid law,” said Gentile. “We’re looking into the possi- bilities now. We could definitely file a mo- tion to force the agency to follow the rules and spend the money to subsidize the ferry service.” Gentile said that the funding, earmarked for the new dock in Bay Ridge and operating / Evan Vucci expenses at an existing stop at 58th Street near the Brooklyn Army Terminal in Sunset Park, was snubbed by Brooklyn DOT Com- missioner Lori Ardito at a budget hearing last Associated Press month. Bruce Springsteen visited the Brooklyn Museum last week to see the Basquiat exhibit. Referring to the same hearing, a spokesman for Yassky said that Ardito cited an internal policy that bars, or at least frowns upon, subsidizing private businesses with public money. If so, the policy would be in direct contrast to funding that the department allotted to a bus line in Queens last year, said Basquiat brings a Yassky spokesman. “The DOT has reiterated that they would not spend that money,” said Yassky spokesman Evan Thies. “We’re aghast that they would refuse a directive from their su- periors, in this case the council and the may- Boss to Brooklyn See WATER on page 2 PAGE 7 By Jotham Sederstrom becomes clear that Basquiat, not gaze at the neo-expressionist art. The Brooklyn Papers Monroe, is the real star catcher. Since then, filmmaker Lee and Flay, But who could blame ‘em. While host of the Food Network’s “Hot Off Marilyn Monroe may have the Monroe exhibit, “I Want to be the Grill with Bobby Flay” have been blessed with beauty, but it Loved By You: Photographs of Mari- dropped by the museum, as well as / Tom Callan / Tom seems that another troubled lyn Monroe,” has been a bonafide one actor from “Law & Order” whose genius is melting the hearts of the success, with officials extending the name — oops —museum officials city’s celebs. show by two weeks, it is the Basquiat could not recall. Indeed, since opening at the Brook- retrospective that New Yorkers in the But it took until last week — March lyn Museum on March 11, the works know have been anticipating since 24, to be exact — for Springsteen to The Brooklyn Papers The Brooklyn of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat have 1992, when the Whitney hosted a sim- drop by. James Gordon, a media rela- been drawing a steady stream of bold- ilar exhibition. tions manager for the museum, said that face names, not least of all Leonardo Sally Williams, a spokeswoman for only an hour after calling ahead, Spring- ‘The Contract’ DiCaprio, Giselle Bundchen and “The the museum, said that during the steen, his wife, Patti Scialfa, and their Passionate Boss” himself, Bruce Springsteen. opening weekend both DiCaprio and two kids showed up eager for a tour. Af- John Malone, 76, carries cross along 18th Avenue in Bensonhurst during Good ballet at BAM Top that off with visits by Spike Lee his on-again, off-again supermodel ter a brief detour into the American Friday Way of the Cross ceremonies on March 25. and celebrity chef Bobby Flay and it girlfriend Bundchen showed up to See BOSS on page 14 Pat Russo announces Vito back bid to unseat Gentile with Mike By Jotham Sederstrom the 43rd District,” said Russo, flanked by Welfare Inspector General — as required Associated Press was “honored” to work on The Brooklyn Papers his wife, Joanne, and their daughters Anne of candidates by the city Board of Election Rep. Vito Fossella was the mayor’s campaign. Pat Russo wants a rematch. and Catherine, ages 5 and 3. — said that Bay Ridge has been under- named Tuesday to serve as “Mayor Bloomberg has “I am committing myself 100 percent served by Gentile. amassed an outstanding record The Bay Ridge Republican, who in 2003 the Republican chair of to this race,” said Russo. “I could not do “When Marty Golden represented this of achievement that includes garnered 46 percent of the vote against in- Mayor Michael Bloom- record drops in crime, an un- cumbent Councilman Vincent Gentile, a this without the support of my family, and district, he delivered for us,” said Russo. “So berg’s re-election cam- Democrat, this week formally announced I’m grateful to Joanne, who is behind this did Sal Albanese — from this very room — paign. paralleled commitment to our effort all the way. We are in this race to- for 15 years. They demanded that we got / Dave Sanders public schools and continued his second challenge of Gentile. Fossella, who represents The March 28 announcement came less gether, as a family.” something back for our tax dollars. And they recovery from September Already promised an endorsement by didn’t take no for an answer. Today, we are Bay Ridge and Staten 11th,” Fossella said in a state- than a month after fellow Republican Island, was briefly men- Robert Capano bowed out of the race cit- the Kings County Republican Party, and overtaxed and under-served. I’m not sure ment. “In the months ahead, I ing personal family reasons, a decision expected to be endorsed by the county’s which is worse. But I plan to change both. tioned last year as a possi- look forward to helping tell that all but ensures Russo will be the GOP Conservative Party next week, Russo’s an- Because our communities deserve better.” Papers The Brooklyn ble challenger to the this success story and working challenger against Gentile this November. nouncement was pretty much expected. Gentile, who won the seat in a special As Assemblyman Matthew Mirones looks on, Republi- mayor, but he has since alongside the mayor and his “Today I am announcing my candidacy Russo, who resigned last month as election in February 2003, declined to com- can Pat Russo announces his candidacy for the City come out in full support of team to ensure his victory in for the office of New York City Council in deputy inspector general to the state’s ment on his challenger’s announcement. Council at the Bay Ridge Manor on Monday. Bloomberg and said he See VITO on page 2 Truck drags, Brewery contest kills man on grand prize is a 75th Street trip to Brooklyn By Jotham Sederstrom ed to a day on the town that will include The Brooklyn Papers Fifth Avenue at 77th Stree, said The Brooklyn Papers a tour of the Williamsburg-based brew- the man had worked at the store Abike-riding deliveryman While mass-market beer compa- ery, a trip to Coney Island and tickets to a for a bagel shop in Bay Ridge for roughly two years. Brooklyn Cyclones minor league baseball The street where the accident nies continue to dish out promotional was fatally struck and killed game at Keyspan Park, as well as a lim- happened was not a truck route. vacations to Tahiti and Jamaica, Steve ousine to transport the lucky winners after a truck dragged him for Callan / Tom “There was a lot of people com- Hindy, president of the Brooklyn from one side of the borough to the other. nearly a block. ing in, asking [what had hap- Brewery, is offering an all-expenses “We’ve always had to compete with Police said John Martinez, 28, of pened],” said an owner of the bagel paid trip to a locale closer to home these giant corporations, these interna- 86th Street in Bay Ridge, was shop, who would not give his that in addition to beaches, features tional brewing conglomerates,” said struck by a white delivery truck on name. “His family came in, they high culture, fine dining and even an Hindy, who started the homegrown brew- March 30, around 4 pm, while mak- don’t know what’s going on Papers The Brooklyn amusement park — Brooklyn. ery nearly 20 years ago.